Front Towing Covers
Hi All
We are debating as to what caravan front towing cover is right for us? Looking at what's out there it comes down to either Specialist Covers or Pro-Tec covers! It seems these 2 are the only real contenders so was interest to learn everyone thoughts on front towing covers in general.
Do you first think they are worth the money?
Do you think they do their job well i.e. Keep all the rubbish and dirt off the front of your van?
Do the armored one's actually work better as you do pay £399 for them?
Do the cheaper one's at £299 and £199 work just as well although you don't get access to the locker?
Should we just go for bottom of the range at £199 or lower just to keep the dirt off?
What;s the verdict here! how many of us actually use them all the time when we are moving the van around? Do we get fed up of putting them on and taking them off?
Here's another question! Can they stay on while in winter storage while under a full caravan winter cover or will this damage the van is some way i.e create more moisture inside the van?
So these are just some of the questions we are thinking about before rushing out and buying one! Your thoughts on the matter would I'm sure help us to decided as there is a lot of know how out there and there is certainly caravanners which have far more experience than us and have probably been there and done that!
An interesting discussion we feel and one that I think would help many new caravanners before they buy?
Await any and all comments on the subject
Take Care all out there!
Comments
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We have a Specialist cover, used it for thousands of miles over last 2.5 years, easy to fit and wouldn't be without it. Ours is bottom of the range and more than adequate. I would recommend and would certainly get another when the time comes.
Less than 2 minutes to put on even when done by myself.
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We have a Protec tailored one, to fit the front profile of a 2014 Lunar. Works well at keeping mud and grime off the front, especially around our local 'farming' area! Ours is getting on for 4 years old and we would always use one now, except if we know the weather will be dry and the roads are clean. Can't see the need for an armoured one as the Protec has done an excellent job so far. Always ensure the front is clean and grit free before putting on, especially the windows, as the cover will move around a bit whilst driving. Access to the gas locker when cover is fitted just means unclipping the lower half and removing the three bungee cords, but that takes only a minute. Can't see the need to leave the front cover on underneath a full winter cover, and anyway it could make fitting the larger cover difficult. When you see how filthy the front cover can get at times, you appreciate the benefit of having one.
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Hi Gateway, I can agree with what hedd lo has written. When you ask are they worth the money, I think they are having suffered a damaged front window and the hassle and cost to replace.
They are not designed to be left in place they will mark your van if wet and collecting dirt that washes down from above.
I have used both makes and personally prefer specialist covers for both quality and fit.
You must keep the front of the van clean before fitting as it will mark your paintwork if not.
They are easy to put on and the cleaning part in my opinion is worth the extra time to prevent marking and possibly more important, protecting the windows.
I got a club discount from Specialist Covers.
Ken
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Hi, we were like you considering the purchase of a front cover to protect the van. The main reason was that we keep the van in storage on a farm site and the access roads can be extremely bad for mud etc, especially over the winter months and we use our van all year round.
After speaking to people with covers and considering how we would use one we decided against getting one for a couple of reasons.
We were told that the van would need to be clean before fitting which could be problematic, as it is in storage, but even more of an issue was that, due to the access road, it would very often be not only wet but mud splattered on arrival at the destination and the thought of trying to store a cover in that state was the deciding factor.
We have not had any window or panel damage which was a factor in our decision.
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I have never considered buying one as I can't see they could better what system I use at the minute. I clean the van before I leave home and if it is mud splattered when I get on site I swill it done again, that takes of all 5 mins just to spruce it up to be acceptable.
The same in reverse when we get home.
I can't think of one occassion when I haven't managed to make the van presentable.
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Thanks for all that have contributed so far! great reading so many different views, We will be having the new van coated with "Tourershine" before picking up so this would aid cleaning!As for damage to front windows jury still out on that one not sure if cover would help protect or not?
To date last season with our older van like Harryb we also cleaned van before departing and cleaned van on arrival back wasn't to bad kind of got in the flow of things! However Alan&Jean's argument about were do you put a dirty cover is a good one! and even washing down before placing away will require drying time on site?So not sure how quick these covers dry off after rinsing with water hose?
Looking forward to further points of view on this subject
Ansley & Jane
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Before we had the Protec cover, we just washed down the front on arrival at site or storage. However, during a drive on a mucky day there can be so much road dirt on the front windows and paintwork, that the mere act of cleaning runs the risk of scratching, especially the windows. That's why we bought the cover and find that it gives peace of mind that the cleaning of the cover can be done away from the windows. In our experience the Protec cover dries very quickly as water pretty much runs off the front face, and the soft white rear is quick-drying too. Even if we can't clean it straight away, it gets folded up in its bag (quite small) and put in the front locker until we have time to deal with it.
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We have Baileys own cover for our Rimini and wouldn’t be without it. As for cleaning it, it only tales a couple of mins to swill off any dirt and dries very quickly. If ours is wet/dirty when we return our van to storage we just fold it up and take it home to sort.
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Hi gatewaya89,
Apart from the problems discovered with early " Alu-Tech " Baileys, I personally can't see the cost outweighing the use of. I like to travel with my 'van nice and clean, upon arriving on site I will more than like spend ten minutes going round the windows and probably clean the front.
The " what to do " with a dirty, wet cover when arriving on site or home I can't get my head round, it certainly would not suit me to roll up and put in bed locker, boot of car or indeed sling over a fence to spoil the view for others. Whilst away at Winchcombe the other weekend a guy was cleaning the front of his 'van on Sunday morning, when asked how long he was staying, he said he was leaving today but had to clean the front of his 'van before fitting the cover !! So logic tells me if one has to clean 'van before going and again before returning, we may as well clean it when arriving. Also if as in some cases the cleaning of 'vans is not allowed on sites do we leave without the front being covered.
Happy caravanning.
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We use a protect cover on our Elddis. The protect is higher than the specialised version so covers most of the front skylight window. Fitting is very simple & quick, it stops mud splatters in winter, tar splatters in Summer & stops the front windows being covered in blood spots from dead insects ( so we can actually see through the window when we get to a site ). As to front locker access, on the rare occasion we need it, we simply undo the bottom two buckles either side & the locker door holds the cover up, simples
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Hi Lesbunny
Can we ask which Pro-tec you brought as there are a few in the range?
Thanks
Ansley & Jane
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Hi Les bunny again
I don't suppose there is any chance of you measuring your straight bit of awning? especially if its an avante?
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Hi David 2115
You are right when you state that caravans are not cheap and hence why we like to look after ours from new, if we are going to invest that amount of money then anything we can add to protect iit, keep it cleaner, or just to make it look better, is going to happen.
Its the same about security why buy the van and not even think about it when really compared to the van its as cheap as chips! and I certainly don't want our van doing a disappearing act on us without us knowing! and have managed now to find the right bit of kit as well!
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a good set of mudguards on your car helps somewhat to keep front of caravan clean. can i ask what do people do when they get to site and it was heavy rain all the way and the cover is full of mud and rain. is it not like a tent/trailer tents that you should dry first before putting away and if weather not good enough to dry it could be folded up filthy and wet for a week or more. as you can guess i have not got or will not get a tow cover. these will not protect the window if half a house brick or a lump of 3x2 come off a skip wagon and bounced up and hit you. do you cover the car to keep it clean.
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Straight bit of awning ? Not sure what you mean there. We have the Mistral which has an awning size of 1015cms. As for the protect cover, we simply told them the make & model of our caravan & they sent the appropriate version with clear panels for the running lights in the correct place.
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these will not protect the window if half a house brick or a lump of 3x2 come off a skip wagon and bounced up
How well a towing cover will protect against large objects is dependent on a lot of variables. What ANY cover will do is reduce the impact. The one I use will reduce it considerably.
filthy and wet
What ANY cover will do also is protect the caravan from ingress of the filth and wet should a window be penetrated. Mine has never got into such a state that leaving it out in the rain didn't clear most of the mud without expending personal effort.
i have not got or will not get a tow cover.
Now that covers are readily available it can't be long until insurers make having one fitted as a condition of cover (no pun intended!). In fact, they may already be required under the clause of "taking reasonable care" to protect the insured property.
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Hi Les Bunny
NO not the awning size I know that its 1025cm on our van...What we need to know is the long straight bit that goes from back of van to front of van but exclude the cures in the rail So only the measurement across the top of van i.e. the straight bit? that's what we are trying to find out!
Also Les Bunny what was make of cover? i.e Pro-tec this or that what was its name in case we want to order one please?
Thanks Navgateur! a good point on insurance regarding "taking reasonable care"
lornalou1! thanks for comments and Yes drive a tank a "Volvo" and they do come fitted with mud guards as standard however even with our old Avondale didn't stop the crap coming up of the road especially "Tar" in summer! now having a cover would at least stop the hassle of having to clean that stuff off van. As regards drying in wet weather they are waterproof so I would have thought a quick wipe and back in the bag should be fine? but what do I know I am just trying to find out best one's before we buy one or not?
await all and every comments
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lornalou1! thanks for comments and Yes drive a tank a "Volvo" and they do come fitted with mud guards as standard however even with our old Avondale didn't stop the crap coming up of the road especially "Tar" in summer! now having a cover would at least stop the hassle of having to clean that stuff off van. As regards drying in wet weather they are waterproof so I would have thought a quick wipe and back in the bag should be fine? but what do I know I am just trying to find out best one's before we buy one or not?
I am not against covers as its all personal preference. if you ask what waterproof coat would you wear in winter and get suggestions would you go and buy one at whatever the cost as this is one of the main factors when buying anything. look at each manufacturers web sites and find what they are made off, how they are made, what's the warranty and what's the price and if its in your price bracket then go for it.
regarding insurance, if you park your car on the driveway as no garage, do you get a cover to protect it as the insurance might say you have not taken "reasonable care to protect it." Don't think so.
regarding the Tar statement, I admit I have not been caravanning very long but did drive thousands of miles a year in my job and never got tar on the front of any vehicle and doing 70+ mph only got dead flies and surely if all this tar is coming of the road there would be no roads.
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regarding insurance, if you park your car on the driveway as no garage, do you get a cover to protect it as the insurance might say you have not taken "reasonable care to protect it."
No. You pay a higher premium if it is not garaged due to the higher risk of damage.
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I'm with lornalou1,
After 35yrs caravanning all over UK & Europe I've had one incident where a lorry I was following threw up a large road cone, it smashed my lower half front and I'm sure this would have been the same as if a cover was fitted. Each to their own ( please don't give insurance companies ideas about using front covers, it's bad enough them insisting on branded anti theft devices ).
BTW : Who do we blame when a cover comes off and causes damage, the manufacturer or the driver for unsafe load ?
it's easier to clean if you keep it clean !
Happy caravanning.
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Hi Moulesy
Yes we have seen a few and found when asking they don't need to be removed for short stays as access to both windows & lockers is just a zip pull away! and I suppose it saves time removing and putting back on?
The jury is still out but reading most of the comments its one of those subjects like "Marmite" you either like them or hate them?
At the moment though we like the idea of the front panoramic windows getting some protection although I fully understand that a brick or a 2 by 2 could go straight through regardless of any thickness in the cover however does seem that windows do get smashed all part of the joys of caravaning I suppose..lol
Can't say I would be bothered about cleaning it every 10 minutes probably do that chore about twice every quarter I think?but we still think there is some merit to having one but as we say jury still out van not out of production until Jan 16th 2018 so plenty of time to think on about it!
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If its wet and I'm only staying one night then often I don't remove, other than that it always comes off. If the forecast is rain I sometimes attached the evening prior to departure.
Put cover on yesterday whilst checking the van ready for departure this morning.
We van all year round and from October to March its the sugar beet harvest around here and the roads are thick with clods of mud so the cover does a good job.
Happy caravanning, I'm just doing it my way
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Well done Oneputt!
Wish we were out now especially with the weather down here loads of sun and a little cold just great for those walks out.
as you say..Happy caravanning
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